Miami Earns Much-Needed Victory To Move Up In East

As Erik Spoelstra said, this was a “breakthrough” victory for the Miami Heat (18-17) against the Golden State Warriors (18-18) 114-98.

Here’s a look at four major takeaways from the matchup:

1. Bam Adebayo had his first good game of 2025.

After going a combined 6 of 25 shooting through the first two games of January, Adebayo bounced back significantly. He finished with 19 points, nine rebounds, and five assists on 64.3 percent shooting and made his only attempt from three-point range. Adebayo has averaged a career-high two dribbles per shot attempt this season, which likely has caused a lot of his inefficient performances. He returned to being deliberate and taking shots without putting the ball on the ground when he didn’t have to.

2. Jaime Jaquez Jr. has had back-to-back good games in the starting lineup.

Jaquez finished with 18 points, five rebounds, and one assist on 58.3 percent shooting and 33.3 percent from three-point range. He’s been statistically much better whenever Jimmy Butler hasn’t played this season. Due to his suspension, Jaquez will earn several more games to get more playing time and freedom to play his style.

3. Nikola Jovic continues his breakout season with another dominant performance.

He needs as much playing time as possible, whether Jovic is starting or coming off the bench. He finished with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 47.1 percent shooting and 25 percent from three-point range. Although his perimeter shooting was off for most of the night, Jovic’s two corner threes in the fourth quarter broke the game open as the Heat expanded their lead and never looked back.

4. The Heat remain undefeated when Alec Burks is utilized as a major part of the rotation.

The Heat are a perfect 4-0 when Burks plays at least 25 minutes. He finished with 11 points, four rebounds, and zero assists on 50 percent shooting and 50 percent from three-point range. Beyond Duncan Robinson and Tyler Herro, Burks is the only other designated shooter on the roster. And by now, his shooting has helped the Heat in numerous games this year.

Bryan Townes is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at [email protected] or on X @bryantownesjr11. Follow our coverage on Facebook.